SE Asia Stocks-Mostly down ahead of Fed, BOJ meetings; Jakarta leads

JAKARTA, April 26 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock

markets fell for a second day on Tuesday, led by Indonesia, as

cautious investors adopted a wait and watch approach ahead of

central bank meetings in the United States and Japan later this

week.

Indonesia's Jakarta Composite Index was down 1.5

percent to a near two-week low at 0538 GMT, led by financial

stocks, while poor earning expectations dragged large caps

lower.

Jakarta-based Trimegah Research said in a note it expects

Indonesian conglomerate PT Astra International Tbk and

heavy equipment distributor United Tractors to post

disappointing earnings in the March quarter.

Astra shares were down 2 percent while those of United

Tractors fell 2.5 percent.

Bank of Japan policymakers are likely to discuss further

easing when they meet on Wednesday and Thursday.

The U.S. Federal Reserve, which lifted its benchmark

overnight interest rate in December for the first time in nearly

a decade, meets on Wednesday.

The Singapore share index fell 0.8 percent to a near

two-week low, led by financial stocks.

Malaysia's stock index was down 0.7 percent, while

the Philippines Composite Index was 0.4 percent weaker.

Bucking the trend, the Thai SET index was up 0.1

percent, while Vietnam's benchmark VN Index advanced 0.7

percent, led by gains in real estate stocks, following a slight

correction in the previous session.

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SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS

Change at

0539 GMT

Market Current previous close Pct Move

Singapore 2877.8 2900.28 -0.78

Bangkok 1410.68 1408.71 0.14

Manila 7220.23 7250.13 -0.41

Jakarta 4805.459 4878.862 -1.50

Kuala Lumpur 1702.08 1714.51 -0.72

Ho Chi Minh 595.84 591.58 0.72

(Reporting by Shihar Aneez; Editing by Anupama Dwivedi)